Human Resources CIPD

Human Resources CIPD

Activity 1: Effective Human Resource Professionals

• What Does It Mean To Be an HR Professional?

Human Resource (HR) professionalism refers to the conduct unveiled by individuals who are offering services and advice that need and meet accepted behavioral standards. The work done by the HR professional reflectshe competent assimilation of specialized experience, education, and training. Hornstein proposed that professionalism in HR is described by status and power rooted in expertise, the tenure of proficient skills, and knowledge (2015). Also, it is described by the ability to show the impartiality of judgment, and operating via a code of professional ethos. HR professionals operate through standards set by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) (their professional body) (Emmott, 2016). They should also uphold the organizational code of conduct accepted or expressed formally as core values.

Reference to:

1. Professional areas

The leading HR team should guide others towards the growth of the contribution of HR to the company (Solnet, Kralj, & Baum, 2015). Solutions, insights, and strategy require an HR professional to comprehend operations in the company, create strategies and insights, and utilize them in problem-solving. Other professional areas are discussed below:

• The relationship between the employees, the job, and management should be strengthened to boost employee engagement. This professional area can guarantee fruitful attainment of objectives by maintaining employee engagement.
• Learning and development will proceed to create reliable individuals and teams who can meet the development needs of the organization. Learning equips the workers with current skills, experience, and knowledge essential for maintaining the relevance of the organization in the modern and growing market.

1. The behaviors

Based on the CIPD profession map, HR management needs the following to deliver competence and professionalism:

• Curiosity to learn the context of the organization and create approaches to solve organizational issues. Professionals can acquire a better insight into the activities of the organizations by obtaining a deeper understanding of its context and operations.
• The professionals need courage to handle issues and duties in their job by challenging pessimistic criticism and negativity. Also, they can propose and guard their ideas, provided they contribute to the success of the organization.

Activity 2: Group Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Assessment

2.1 The Elements of Group Dynamics

Group dynamics are the aspects and processes linked to bonding and advancing the teams towards professionalism. Bruce Tuckman developed a model that highlights the five vital elements that assist in issues regarding group dynamics. The five elements of Tuckman’s model include: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (Hornstein, 2015).

1. Forming

It is the initial stage where the team awaits their role anxiously, politely, or positively. Also, the leader does not have any active responsibilities, while the members will take a while to comprehend the objective of the team.

1. Storming

Here, the affiliates start repelling the restrictions set in the primary stage. It is because they perceive the workload will be massive is their main goal is not well defined.

1. Norming

As the members start to familiarize themselves with each other, they start to appreciate their capabilities and improve their weaknesses, thus establishing respect for a peaceful relationship.

1. Performing

The members are no longer in conflict and are working towards attaining their goals. The leaders also delegate some roles to concentrate on team development.

1. Adjourning

Here, the teams celebrate their success. Some teams, such as the research teams, also get disbanded, which can affect the performance of those who have created consistent working relationships.

2.2 Conflict Resolution Method within the HR Context

Collaborating, compromising, accommodating, avoiding, and competing are the core five methods of solving conflict. Accommodating is the approach where parties surrender to the demands of each other (Khan & Farooq, 2015). For instance, where two employees are conflicting, one party accepts its mistakes and surrenders to the wishes or demands of the other party. Compromising is another strategy to conflict resolution whereby disagreeing parties become partially cooperative and assertive (Khan & Farooq, 2015). For instance, compromise can be used to resolve a conflict between employer and employees to which the two parties agree on a somehow fair consensus terms between them. Compromise is considered impartial, although the participants are not happy with the final result.

2.3 Explain How You Successfully Persuaded, Influenced, and Negotiated With Others in the Course of the Project?

Robert Cialdini’s existing research on the influence of principles helped me to influence others in the course of the project. The influence principles include mutuality, commitment and constancy, scarcity, and liking (Khan & Farooq, 2015). I used reciprocity to repay debt, return favors, and treat others fairly. Secondly, when I am committed to something, I am consistent in action and thoughts. Thirdly, I influenced others by being likable, giving compliments, and merely trusting others. Lastly, I influenced others by illuminating the scarcity of resources or the opportunities they stand to lose if they do not obtain them in favorable terms.

The second technique I used is persuasion. I often assumed that people were not willing to work on my ideas, but I realized it was not the case. They might have been willing but not have the resources and skills, or they been able and willing, but they were not ready. I persuaded them by giving my opinions concisely and clearly. I presented my case logically, ensuring that I verified every claim. I also took the time to comprehend the needs and concerns of others.

Lastly, I used five negotiation procedures to solve disputes throughout the project. First, I separated the individuals from the problems by being hard on the issue but being gentle on the individuals. Secondly, I focused on the interests of the individuals rather than their positions. I did so by addressing their interests adequately, and the desire for climbing positions subsided. Thirdly, I comprehended how the other party perceived the issue at hand to determine if they were acting intelligently and rationally. Fourth, after determining the alternatives, I could make better informed and stronger options. After listening actively and purposefully throughout the negotiation, I finally arrived at an accommodation that worked for all parties.

Activity 3: Project Management

3.1 Project Management Techniques

In the last six months, I was a project manager in initiating an appraisal and reward system in our company. The project began in February2019 to August 2019. The project aimed at developing an open and transparent system through which they would evaluate and reward employee performance.  Using the stakeholder analysis map, I found that the core stakeholders of the project included the employees, line managers, top management, and business owners. I found their specific needs that were considered during the project implementation trough the evaluation of stakeholders.

In the project planning phase, I engaged in the following activities. First, I outlined the specific objectives of the activity, such as establishing an appraisal system for employee performance assessment. Secondly, I mobilized the resources required during project implementation, that is, finances, labor, and time. Third, I established project activities and stipulated the completion time. Finally, I assigned roles, takes, and responsibilities to team members. For efficient project planning, I used the following tools: stakeholder matrix, Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, and Opportunities (SWOT) analysis, Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (RACI), and risk evaluation map.

For efficient management of probable risks that might have faced the project such as, internal resistance from employees and lack of support from other stakeholders, I undertook the following activities. I began by developing a risk management plan during the planning phase where I brainstormed all risks sources to the project. Then, I communicated the risks to my project that developed the impacts of the risks, probability of happening, and mitigation measures. Later on, I prioritized and analyzed the risks, finding the degree of each risk, and established their manageability. Finally, I proactively developed a risk response plan and monitored the risks progressively during the project.

3.2 Problem-Solving Technique

During the project, I faced some issues that hindered efficient project execution. The problems included; lack of effective communication strategy between project team and stakeholders, internal resistance from employees, low motivation, and conflicts between the stakeholders and among the project team. Despite the recurrence of the problem, I was able to succeed in project implementation as I had projected all the risks using the risk assessment matrix, risk summary, and decision tree. In problem-solving I used the following skills.  First, I conducted a negotiation between conflicting team members or stakeholders to ensure that they reach a consensus. Secondly, I persuaded the employees to support the project’s objective as it will bring vital benefits to them. Finally, I influenced my team members to commit their effort to project goals when they seemed to be under-motivated.

Activity 4

4.1 My Self-Assessment

Currently, I am a human resources practitioner operating the second band of HR practice whose role includes advising the managers on strategies to implement in the company. In the preview of a core function area of the leading position, I can assert that I have some competencies, weaknesses, and gaps in efficient task performance. Therefore, I need to implement some development strategies to ensure that I transition to a higher band of HR practice.

The HR function of the leading role includes being a role model leader that makes the maximum contribution to the company by leading, developing, and supporting business objectives. The core activities that I need to engage in are to develop a commercial mindset to business owners, as well as provide advice and relevant support to managers on people-related matters. Furthermore, my other activities in the development of integrated employee management strategies include the establishment of budgets, milestones, and metrics to support employee issues. Finally, I work to ensure that the HR department has the needed competencies for efficient task performance.

Despite portraying some strengths and competencies in the HR function, I can assert that I have some gaps in significant areas that prevent me from advancing to the next band level. My self-assessment indicates I have gaps in the following areas.

• Mentoring and coaching capabilities required to offer advice to business managers
• Developing and monitoring the HR budgets,
• Developing HR delivery plans that need to be integrated into organizational strategy,
• Knowledge and skills to manage and monitor team performance, and
• Developing the knowledge and skills required to support the HR practitioners’ competencies.

Based on the following knowledge gaps, my development requirements include in following:

• To learn the knowledge and skills required to enhance my capabilities in the provision of advisory services to managers,
• To learn the approaches and procedures in the development of HR budgets and records,
• To develop the knowledge and skills needed in evaluating and supporting team performance,
• To expand the knowledge and skills of data analysis tools and software required to support the development of insight HR strategies, and
• To learn how to build the HR managers professional and technical capabilities need to enhance the competency of HR practitioners in our company.

4.2 Professional Development Plan

            4.2.1 SMART objectives

Table 1: The SMART objectives of my development plan. These objectives will assist me in setting learning goals and objectives.

4.2.2 Justification of learning options

The above learning options are essential in ensuring that I gain the needed knowledge and expertise to transition to advanced bands of HR practice. Each option is crucial in the following ways. First, learning the coaching and mentoring skills required in offering HR advice will ensure that a role-model leader that designs the necessary organizational structures and strategies. Secondly, learning how to develop HR budgets will ensure that I develop a fair and competitive compensation scheme that promotes employee motivation and job satisfaction. Third, I need to learn how to evaluate and support team performance such that I can steer my team’s performance. Furthermore, I need to learn to expand my knowledge on data analysis tools and software so that I can use the tools in developing insight-driven alternatives needed in business planning. Finally, learning how to boost the technical and professional capability of my HR practitioners will enable me to develop a leading HR department that steers the company’s current and future goals and objectives.

4.3 My perceived value of HR

I perceive as proactive in the organization. Proactiveness in the organization is not too remote in its strategy and policy (Hornstein, 2015). Proactivity in HR will allow employees and managers to do business better by being more involved in handling people’s issues and problems. Secondly, it will obtain good business ideas from outside sources. Thirdly, it will train and coach managers to motivate and manage their employees better. Fourth, proactive HR will be extra assertive when managers flout codes or policies of behavior. Lastly, it will work to obtain more consistency in managing people better for the benefit of the entire organization.

Human resource savvy is the affordable, professional, and straightforward HR solutions for the organization that cannot validate the internal HR function costs itself (Coetzer, 2017). Modern HR is facing the challenge of supporting and implementing new technologies essential for recruitment and management.  Thus, it currently looking into the best technology trends, such as harnessing big data, integrating social media, and adopting mobile tools (Coetzer, 2017). Leveraging big data will ensure modern human resource gathers more (and the right) information to increase performance. Also, integratingocial media should boost collaboration in sharing and connecting information and resources. Further, adoptingobile tools will ensure there is ready information that will result in faster recruitment and extra productivity.

The organization’s workforce is the backbone of its nonprofit and its mission. That is why the HR team is strong enough to support them. The organization ensures that the HR practices are meeting the needs of its team by tracking their HR metrics to evaluate their efficiency and effectiveness. The organization needs efficient HR to determine the amount of resources that the HR programs use (such as cost-per-hire) (Hornstein, 2015). On the other hand, the organization requires effective HR to determine the outcome generated by HR activities, such as improving skills from training (Hornstein, 2015). Tracking the HR metrics will assist the organization to strengthen its sustainability in nonprofit talents.

Key stakeholders of HR include the owners, the employees, the community, consumers, and the insurance companies. HR meets the needs of the owners by ensuring the organization fulfills its goals, which increases profitability (Khan & Farooq, 2015). HR meets the employees’ needs by enhancing their skills, offering a workplace structure, and improving work processes (Khan & Farooq, 2015). HR fulfills the community’s needs by creating projects that support new businesses (Khan & Farooq, 2015). The new companies will offer employment opportunities for the community. Lastly, HR meets the insurance companies’ needs by negotiating insurance coverage or revamping employee benefits.

HR is a discipline that needs management and leadership training essential for creating the skills that the executives need. Unfortunately, I lack the skills to shine in that position. Therefore, I should add communication, organizational, policymaking, training, and development skills. I will require communication skills to express myself clearly, written, or orally during the recruitment process. I will need organizational skills to build a systemic way of handling recruitment, training, employee relations, and development plans. I will be able to recognize right talent with decision-making skills. Lastly, I will require training and development skills to provide the employees with development opportunities, which will increase value and maximize performance.

References

Coetzer, A. (2017). Challenges in addressing professional competence expectations in HR management courses. Asian Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 55(4), 454-475.

Emmott, M. (2016). CIPD: In Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

Hornstein, H. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change management is now. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), 291-298.

Khan, A. S., & Farooq, R. (2015). Human resource management practices and project success. International Journal of Project Management, 2(1), 435-445.

Solnet, D., Kralj, A., & Baum, T. (2015). Three hundred sixty degrees of pressure: The changing role of the HR professional in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 39(2), 271-292.